Horn



G. F. LONG.

v HORN.

APPLICATION FILED APR.Z5, I912. RENEWED JUNE 13, l9l9.;

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

a: i. i A

' Anon/Ins WITNESSES mounted in: a rotary UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. LONG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORTO THE G. PIEL COMPANY, INC., OF

' LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HORN.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

Application filed April 25, 1912,.Seria1 No. 693,222. Renewed June 13, 1919. Serial No. 304,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'Gnoncn FLONG, a citizen oi? the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horns, of which the following is a specification,

This invention relates to horns, alarms, etc, wherein the sound is produced by a vibrating diaphragm and has for its principal object to provide means whereby the actuating mechanism for thedia mragm is operated directly by the hand or foot of the operator at a distance without the intervention of any external or intern'lediate source of power.

A further object of this invention is toarrange' the actuating mechanism so as to operate with a minimum of force to be exerted upon it. I

Still further objects will appear from the description of one embodiment of this invention, it being understood that Various changes may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the improved horn and operating mechanism, constituting one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the operatin element in its position after being actuated by the operator.

Fig. 3 is an end View partly cut away illustrating the cooperating parts of the diaphragm actuating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the diaphragm, actuating mechanism illustrating the means employed for bringingthe operating disk to a stop in a predetermined position.

;Fig. 5 illustrates the pinion operating rack in its depressed position after being actuated by the operator.

Referring to the several figures, the vibrating diaphragm 1 havingthereon a projection, or contact niem'liier 2 constituting the wear piece for the diaphragm is. adapted to be operated upon by a s "ice. or projections 'diskior head 4' fiiked tea shaft 45 Preferably I romithes projections 3' as rollers. which are mountedso" as to rotatein the disk and thus. diminish. the" friction between thecooperati'ng' surfaces of the disk and the projection 2. When this disk 4: is rotated, the rollers 3 successively strike projection 2 and thus impart to the diaphragm a vibratory motion which produces the sound. Means are provided for "transmitting a high velocity of rotation to this disk 4 from a slight movement of the member directly engaged by the hand or foot of the operator. This means consists preferably of a train of gears mounted upon a plate 5 removably attached in a comparatively light casing 5 Extending from said plate also are a'pair of posts a united by a tie plate 6 forming a light stifi' frame in which the rotary head is journaled. The plate, the gears in the train and the rotary head are all preferably disposed in planes parallel 'to the plane of the diaphragm, thus tending toward compactness of construction. The rack 6 is mounted in a slot 0 in the plate and imparts motion to the first member of the train consisting of a pinion 7, having fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 8, engaging a pawl 9, upon another gear wheel 10. The latter transmits its motion to a pinion 10 on the shaft- 402 The rack 6 a projection 12 thereof vhich eaten-a through an elongated opening 12 located in the plate so as to be accessible from a point outside the casing for actuating the rack. The latter has also a bore 03 therein into which extends a spring 6", one end of which is guided by a rod 6 located in a slot in alinement with the bore. The spring acts normally to maintain the rack in raised position. The mechanism mounted on the plate, including the rack, gearing and rotary head, are removable together therewith as a unit from the casing. WVhen the plate and the mechanism are properly positioned with reference to the diaphragm, the wear piece 2 extends past the tie plate I) in position to be engaged by the rollers 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The operating mechanism for the" rack through which the latter isoperated directly by'th'e' hand or foot of'the' operatonconsists of a flexible member such as a cord 11"- which is adapted to be connected with the diavibratin train',-- as being at tached' to" rank 6 at any desired; point; preferably to the pIOjeCfii Oii 12. This flexible connection 11 extends from any" pbsiti'o'n' convenient for placing the horn to a con"- venient"p'o'sit ion for operation by the" Op: 110

erator as from a point inside of a vehicle. A knob, handle, or pro ection 13 is adapted to receive an nnpulse from the operator-to t cord near the actuating member is fixed, the

opposite end has to move carrying the rack with it to operate the diaphragm. This form of connection, however, between the actuating member and flexible member 11 is old and well known and I do not claim it per 80.

To insure that the contact of the rollers o and disk 4 with the projection 2 does not produce su'liicient resistance so as to prevent their proper operation when force is exerted by the operator upon the knob 13, I arrange mechanism so that the disk 4: will always come to a stop in a position wherein the rollers 3 are out of contact with the projection and which permits the disk to attain considerable momentum before such contact takes place when the disk is started from a position of rest. This momentum will be suflicient to overcome any excess of resistance which would arise if an attempt should be made to start the disk from rest with one of the rollers 3 contacting the projection. To attain this end, I provide in disk 3 a series of recesses 25. Mounted on the stationary part of the frame or casing I provide a hollow post 26 having a spring 27 therein which projects a ball 28 against the face of the disk containing the recesses and in a position to snap into any one of those recesses when the disk rotates into proper registration. The tension of this spring may be so adjusted that the disk will always stop at a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 wherein the projection 2 is in intermediate position between the rollers 3, in which position of parts the ball 28 rests in a recess 25.

It will be understood that the disk 4 has considerable mass and when the rack 6 is on its back stroke, the disk will continue to rotate for a while in the same direction in which it was actuated. If there is suflicient momentum left in the disk for it to carry rear-r772- place when thedisk stops. If the disk has enough momentum to carry an additional roller past the projection 2, the ball 28 will not exert sufiicient retarding elfect to stop the disk in that particular position, but will allow the disk to move the space of another roller after which the momentum of the disk will have decreased sufficiently for the ball 28 to stop the disk when it comes in registration with the next recess.

It will thus be clear that with the above described mechanism, a horn of the character described can be operated directly by the hand or foot of the operator at a distance without the inteiwention of any external source of power; and through the inter mediary of a flexible wire connection which can be carried to any convenient position for operation by the operator. Although this connection may be capable of transmitting only very small power it will be certain in its operation under all conditions arising in the improved construction described.

The vibrating mechanism is arranged compactly adjacent to the diaphragm and is mounted upon a single plate which is removable together with the mechanism as a unit from the comparatively light casing for manipulation, adjustment or repair. The rotary head is journaled in a light, stifl frame upon the plate and is thus well braced for receiving the eccentric thrust extended by the diaphragm thereon without the use of a heavy construction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an alarm or signal apparatus, a diaphragm, means for mechanically vibrating said diaphragm including a rotary disk, a series of projections mounted on said disk, operating means for said disk, and means for causing said disk to stop in a predetermined position after being operated by said operating means.

2. In an alarm or signal apparatus, a diaphragm, a projection formed thereon, a rotary disk having a series of projections adapted to cooperate with the diaphragm projection, a yieldable detent adapted to cooperate with said disk, and a series of recesses formed about said disk, said detent being adapted to seat in any of said cesses. I

3. In an alarm or signal apparatus, a. diaphragm having a projection, means for mechanically vibrating said diaphragm, said means including a movable member having a series of projections adapted to cooperate with the diaphragm projection, operating means for said movable member, and means for causing said movable member to stop in a position wherein the diaphragm projection is out of contact with. the projections in the movable member.

Cir

4. In alarm or signaling apparatus, a diaphragm having a pro ection, means forvibrating aid dlaphragm, said means including a movable member having projections adapted to cooperate-- with said diaphragm projection, means for operating said movable member, and -means for causing sa d movable member to stop in a-posit1onin which its actuating pro ections are out of tions on the movablemember. r

5. In alarm or signal apparatus, a diaphragm, a movable member for vibrating said diaphragm, :a reciprocating unember movable in a plane substantially parallel to the diaphragm, guiding means engaging said reciprocating member to confine the same to straight line movements for operating said movable member, a flexible pull member connected -to said reciprocating member and acting on the same in a direction parallel to *the direction of said guiding means and 'a manuallyoperatedpush member foractuating the pull member-to vibrate the diaphragm from a -distance-withoutthe intervention of anyexternalor intermediate source of power. i In alarm or signal apparatus, adiaphragm having a projection, a. rotary memberhaving a eries of projections adapted to cooperate with the diaphragm projection to vibrate the diaphragm, actuating means:v for said rotary member -includingratchet mechanism permitting the ,-..rotary {member to overrun after the actuating impulse has subsided, and means for causing said rotary member to come to rest at a predetermined position relative to the diaphragm projection.

7. In alarm or signal apparatus, a diaphragm having a projection, a rotary member having a series of projections adapted to cooperate with the diaphragm projection to vibrate the diaphragm, manually operated actuating means for said rotary member including ratchet mechanism permitting the rotary member to overrun after the actuating impulse has subsided, and means for causing said rotary member to come to rest at a predetermined position relative to the diaphragm projection.

8. A vibrating diaphragm having a contact member thereon, a movable memberprovided with a plurality of spaced projections adapted to engage successively with said contact member, and yielding means. engaging said movable member to arrest the movement thereof so that the contact member will be positioned intermediate adjacent projections when the movable member is at rest. I

9. In alarm or si nal a 'Jparatus, a still diaphragm, meansyfor vibratmg sald diaphragm comprising an irregularly faced movable memberya flexible member for operating said movable member, and means for bringing said movable member to stop at a definite position when out of contact with the diaphragm. I

10. In amanually operated alarm or signal apparatus, a diaphragm,a wear piece thereon, a movable member provided with means engaging thewear piece to vibrate the diaphragm for emitting sound therefrom, an entirelymanually operated means for actuating said'movable member from a distance, said means comprising a member adapted for direct engagementby the hand or foot of the operator, flexible means for transmitting to said movable member the movement of said last named member, a toothed rack positively connectedto said flexible means whereby a pull on said flexiblemeans will be immediately transmitted to said-rack, and gearing constituting" the connection between said toothed-rack and said Wear-piece engaging member for transmitting a comparatively high velocity'to said movable member from a slight movement of the member directly engaged bythe operator. j V

11. In amanually operated alarm or signal apparatus, a diaphragm, a wear piece thereon, a movable member having projections' on the side-facethereofadapted to engage successively with said wear piece to vibrate the diaphragn'i for emitting sound thenefrom, and manually operated means for. actuating said movable member fr'om a distance without the intervention of an intermediate or external source of power, said means comprising a member adapted for direct engagement by the hand or foot of the operator, flexible means having a positive connection with said movable member while said flexible means is under tension for promptly transmitting to said movable member the movement of said last named member, and step up gearing for transmitting promptly a comparatively high rotary velocity to said movable member from a slight movement of the member directly engaged by the operator.

12. An alarm horn comprising a dia phragm, a wear piece thereon, vibrating mechanism for the diaphragm including a shaft, a rotary head on said shaft provided head being disposed in planes parallel to the diaphragm, and a casing for the plate and mechanism thereon, said casing being substantially free of any strain imposed on the horn by a sudden pull 011 said flexible pull e member.

connected with the rack, a shaft and a rotary head thereon driven by said step up gearing, said head having projections'engaging said ear piece onthe diaphragm to rotate the same, said gearing, shaft and head being mounted on the plate.

ll. An alarm horn comprising a diaphragm, a casing, a plate in said casing having a slot, a rack having a portion mounted to reciprocate in said slot, said rack having a bore, a spring extending Within the bore to hold the rack retracted, a pin in alinement With said borefor guiding the spring, step up gearing connected with the rack, a shaft and. a rotary head thereon driven by said step up gearing, said head having projections thereon engaging said Wear, piece on the diaphragm to rotate the same, said gearing, shaft and head. being mounted on the plate.

15. An alarm horn comprising a diaphragm, means for vibrating the diaphragm including a rotary disk having projections thereon, a frame in which the 'disk'is mounted comprisin a member extending parallel tothe face 0 vthe disk, and in front thereof and a Wear piece engaged by the disk projections, said Wear piece extending past said member. a a

16. An alarm horn comprising a diaphragm, a casing, a plate Within the casing having a slot therein, a rack having a pro jection extending exteriorly of the slot outside of the casing, said projection being adapted for engagement by an actuating member, gearing driven by the rack, a rotary member actuated by the gearing to vibrate the diaphragm, said gearing and member being within the casing, an actuating member in the form of a flexible con nection attached to said extension and means for guiding the end of said flexible connection attached to the extension for movement in the direction of the length of the slot.

17. I11 a diaphragm horn, the combination with a diaphragn'l, of a member having a 4 face substantially parallel to the diaphragm and movable relative thereto, 'a rolling con tact carried by said member and extending beyond said face, said member being provided with means engaging the margin of the contact to hold the same relative to a fixed axis of rotation, said diaphragm having a Wear-piece normally positioned in the path of movement of said contact and adaptedvto engage said contact to rotate the same.

This specificationwitnessed this 22nd day of April, A. D. 1912. v

p GEORGE F. Lone. Signed. in the presence of- SAMUEL C. YEA'roN, Gr. W. MARTLING; 

